A Wonderful Move

Richland, Washington (PressExposure) January 14, 2010 -- As part of its Secret Santa program and with the help of the Kadlec Foundation, DirectBuy of Tri-Cities Washington adopted four area families going through some tough timesâthe idea being to raise funds for those families to help them through the holidays. What ensued can only be defined as a Christmas miracle.

One of those families, the Ramirez family, was in particular need. With Alfredo Ramirez recently laid off and Maria pregnant with the coupleâs third child and restricted to bed rest, their home had fallen into disrepair with a broken heater and several cracked or broken windows. Complicating matters even more, on December 18, Maria gave birth prematurely to daughter Vanessa, more than 8 weeks early at a weight of only 4 Â½ pounds.

âWe were going to help the Ramirez family regardless of any other factors, but when Vanessa was born prematurely it created another situation because the hospital has regulations about the homes in which premature babies will be living. The Ramirez home was not suitable for a preemie, so the hospital found them some temporary housing,â said Scott Stocum, owner of DirectBuy of Tri-Cities Washington. âThatâs where the Christmas miracle truly happened, as vendors, DirectBuy members and other members of the local community stepped up to help the Ramirez family.â

DirectBuy contractor Sooner Construction measured the windows and agreed to do the installation free of charge. A local supplier, Ply Gem Pacific Windows, offered substantial discounts on 11 windows and DirectBuy supplier Higuera Hardwoods picked up the tab for the windows. In addition, a local HVAC company (Total Energy Management) diagnosed and repaired the heater at no cost.Â

While repairs were underway on the home, DirectBuy, along with a local clothing company (Children's Attic), donated clothing for the Ramirez children (they have two other children, a six-year-old boy and one-year old girl). DirectBuy also bought clothes for Mr. and Mrs. Ramirez, as well as toys for the children and diapers and wipes for the new baby.

On the day after Christmas, the Ramirez family moved back into their homeâwith baby Vanessa in tow.

âThis truly is a Christmas miracle or something you see in a Hollywood movie. Once word got out about the Ramirez family, so many people stepped forward to help,â said Stocum. âWeâre grateful and proud to live and work in a community that really looks after their own.â

Opening last year, DirectBuy of Tri-Cities Washington has already helped numerous consumers enjoy enormous savings on home furnishings, home improvement items, entertainment and outdoor products, flooring and accessories, by providing an avenue to purchase directly from the manufacturer. Conveniently located at 2630 North Columbia Center Boulevard in Richland, Washington, DirectBuy offers consumers a comfortable, country-club setting where they finally have the financial control of buying direct.

Since 1971, DirectBuy has helped hundreds of thousands of families enjoy a better quality of life, enabling them to buy directly from more than 700 manufacturers and their authorized suppliers. Buying direct enables members' hard-earned money go much further, while having the selection and choice not available at any retail store. DirectBuy has been serving the Tri-Cities area since 2008. Access to confidential prices, local suppliers and unparalleled selection helps make members' dream projects a reality.